Hammer with improved head retaining means



' June 8, 1954 A, G, m 2,680,656

HAMMER WITH IMPROVED HEAD RETAINING MEANS Filed Jan. 30, 1952 Fig.1

24 322234 I0 Fig? 3% ,2 +3 iin; 24

Albert 6. Wing INVENTOR.

BY man Wm Em Patented June 8, 1954 HAMMER WITH IMPROVED HEAD RETAININGMEANS Albert G. Wing, Eagle, Idaho Application January 30, I952,SerialNo. 268,970

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to tools, generally classified, and hasmore particular reference to a tool characterized by a handle having ahead wedged, keyed, or otherwise secured on one end of the handle, forexample, hammers, picks, axes and so on and so forth.

It is a matter of common knowledge that the head of a hammer or hatchet,after repeated use, may become loose and accidentally fly oii.Statistics show that these accidents occur so frequently that many andvaried styles and forms of safety-type devices have been offered byothers to cope with. the situation. Many such devices employ thestructural principle of harnessing the head on the handle, and all sortsof yolees and .lb'ridles have been put forth for adoption and use.Although many such adaptations have been patented, the fact that theyare not, evidently,

in widespread use leads one to believe that notwithstanding thedevelopment of the prior art, there is still room for improvements.

The instant matter, therefore, has reference to improved ways and meanswhereby the desired end results may be attained. With this end in view,it is an object of the invention to improve upon and reduce the numberof parts entering into the combination, thereby not only increasing theefficiency of the structural means as a whole, but rendering same lesscostly to manufacture and to otherwise simplify matters of assembling,sale and handling by users.

Another object is to structurally, functionally and to in other mannersimprove upon known similarly constructed prior art constructions, and,in so doing, to provide a construction in which manufacturers, hardwareretailers and users will find their respective requirements and needsmore satisfactoril met.

More specifically, the invention has to do with a head having an eyetherein, the outward end portion of said eye having a countersunkrecess, a handle having a portion fitting telescopically in said eye, acapping cleat seated in said recess and abutting the cooperating end ofsaid handle, anchor means encircling a portion of said handle,diametrically opposite reach elements joined at corresponding ends tosaid anchor means and extending from the latter alongside said handleand through said head by way of said eye and having free end portionsfastened to said cleat.

In carrying out the preferred embodiment of the invention, the cleat iseifectively maintained in place by laterally bent ends of wire reachlimbs or members which are securely clenched against the cleat, saidwire members being extended through grooves provided therefor in the eyeportion of the head and being joined with the handle encircling anchormeans.

Other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparentfrom the following description and the accompanying sheet ofillustrative drawings.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings,'wherein like numerals areemployed to designate like parts throughout the views:

Figure l is a view essentially in elevation. but

partly in section showing a fragmentary portion of a handle, the headthereon and the improved means for securing the head against accidentaldisplacement.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the structure seen in Figure 1.

Figures 3, 4, and 5 are sections taken on the section lines 3 -3, 4-4,and 55', respectively, of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the cleat harnessing and hold-downbridle.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the especially constructedend portion of the handle.

In the general assembly view seen in Figure 1, the handle is denoted,generally, by the numeral 8 and the head by the numeral it). Althoughthe invention is shown in connection with a hammer, it is understoodthat it applies to any tools in the same general structural category. Asbefore mentioned, the head is provided with a passage extendingtherethrough which is commonly referred to in the trade and elsewhere asa handle-accommodating eye. In the instant situation, this serves toaccommodate the reduced terminal end portion [2 of the handle. In orderto conform with the preferred embodiment of the invention, the handlehas a shoulder 14 which abuts the head and, in addition, it has anannular groove it. Then, too, there are diametrically oppositelengthwise grooves I8 extending from the groove Hi to the reduced headaccommodation extension l2.

The outer end portion of the eye of the hammer is countersunk as at 20to provide a recess which in the showing is somewhat ovate in form. Therecess obviously serves as a pocket and accommodates a correspondinglyshaped handle capping cleat 22. The cleat fits flush in the pocket andhas diametrically opposite keeper notches 2t24.

The cleat serves as a hold-down cap for the head and also caps over thecoacting end of the handle. The preferred harnessing means takes theform of a two-part wire bridle. The main part is formed from a singlelength of wire which is bent intermediate its ends to provide asemicircular portion 25 which fits into a half portion of the anchoringgroove l5. The main reaches of the wire constitute limbs 2828 and theseare in diametrical opposite relation and they have portions extendingthrough accommodation grooves Bil-30 provided in the eye portion of thehead in the manner shown best in Figure 3. The free end portions arelaterally bent as at 32 and 34 and one end has a lateral terminal 36.These bent ends lock in the keeper notches and are clenched against theexterior surface of the cleat, thus fastening the cleat in place. Inorder to stabilize the construction, the second wire has a semi-circularportion 38 which corresponds to 26 and its end portions are twistedaround the coacting portions of the reach limbs 28. The stated endportions are denoted at 40-40 and the twisted portions of the respectivewires are denoted at l2-42 and these are mounted securely in thechannels or grooves 18. The two portions 26 and 38 go to make up a sortof collar or ring which is broadly referred to as anchor means whichencircles the handle by way of the anchor accommodating groove Hi.

It is within the purview of the invention to provide some otherarrangement of wire equivalent to that shown or even a metal band whichhas a collar and reach limbs (not shown) provided that the reach membersare engaged with and clench over the cleat to hold the cleat in thepocket and to thus securely wedge and retain the head on the handle.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, it is believed that a clear understanding of thedevice will be quite apparent to those skilled in this 4 art. A moredetailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shownand described a preferred embodiment of the invention, the same issusceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of theinvention as herein described and within the scope of the appendedclaim.

Having described the invention, What is claimed as new is:

In a tool, such as a pick, axe, hatchet or the like, in combination, ahead having an eye therein, the outward end portion of said eye having acountersunk recess, a handle having a reduced shouldered portion fittingtelescopically into said eye, a capping cleat seated flush in saidrecess and abutting a cooperating end of said handle, said cleat beingprovided with diametrically opposite keeper notches, a pair ofdiametrically opposite reach members passing through said eye alongsideof cooperating portions of the handle, corresponding ends of said reachelements being extended through and seated in said keeper notches andhaving terminal portions directed toward each other and bent andclenched against said cleat, and means for securing said reach elementsto the handle including a groove formed in said handle, and a circularanchor seated in said groove, said anchor being in a plane at rightangles to said reach members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

